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When US Rep. Katie Porter of California failed to advance to the general election following a third-place finish in the state’s US Senate primary election earlier this month, she was quick to lash out, arguing she lost because “billionaires” spent money to “rig” the election.
Putting aside her use of a term that was popularized by former President Donald Trump after his 2020 election defeat, Porter was lamenting the “top-two” primary system in California that has been the source of significant controversy from both Republicans and Democrats in the state. (She later said she regretted using the term.)
Under state law, the top two candidates in elections for congressional, state legislative and statewide offices advance in a primary election, regardless of party. This produces an outcome where the November elections can feature two candidates from the same party, as was the case in California’s US Senate races in both 2016 and 2018.